Gas-washing apparatus.



A. L. STEVENS. GAS WASHING APPARATUS. APPLICAHON FILED SEPT- I0. 1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

a SHEETS-SHEET l- A. L. STEVENS. GAS WASHING APPARATUS. APPLICATIONFILED SEPT-10.1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. A. L. STEVENS.

GAS WASHING APPARATUS.

IC l FILED sEPT.1o.1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

1,292I125' I I a SHEETS*SHEET a ARTHUR L. STEVENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

OTTO R. BARNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-WASHING APPARATUS.

Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Application filed September 10, 1912. Serial No. 719,533.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Washing Appara-'tus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for washing gas and one of the primaryob'ects of the invention is to provide a mac ine which .will wash thegas more thoroughly, uniformly and economically than the apparatuseswhich have been heretofore used for this purpose.

A further object is to provide an apparatus having positive means forforcing the gas through the washing devices so that the washer in itsoperation is, to a certain extent at least, independent of the pressureof the incoming gas and of the degree of suction produced by theexhauster.

A further object is to provide a gas washing apparatus which will bevery compact, in comparison with the apparatuses now used, and at thesame time simple in its construction and inexpensive to build andoperate.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which will use a relativelysmall amount of water. This results in a saving of operat ing expenseand also gives a resultant liquid which is more concentrated with thebyproducts, ammonia, tar, etc.

A further object is to provide a gas washing machine operating upon thecentrifugal principle having the new and improved fea tures andconsisting of the novel constructions, arrangements and devices shown inthe drawings hereto annexed and which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed.

The invention is illustrated, in certain preferred embodiments, in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ofone form of apparatus,

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 sectional plans .taken on ii nes 2-2, 33 and 44,respectively, of

Figs. 5 and 6, fragmentary vertical sections showing details ofconstruction, and

Fig. 7,a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating amodification.

-21, 22, 23 and 24. The shaft 20 Like characters of reference designatelike parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, 10 designates the gas main onwhich is mounted the communicating casings 11,, 12 and 13, arranged oneabove the other. water outlet pipe 14 leads from the lower casing 11 toa seal (not shown) or other means for permitting the outflow of waterwhile preventing the escape of gas. 15 designates the gas outlet pipeleading from the upper casing 13, and 16 a water inlet pipe discharginginto a casing 17 arranged within the casing 13. The water pipe may haveany suitable means for distributing the water. I have shown a nozzle 18,and in the lower part of casing 13, a perforated distributing plate 19.

20 designates a shaft'extending through the casings and mounted insuitable bearings may be driven by any suitable means. I have shown adriving shaft 25 carrying a bevel pinion 26 which meshes with a bevelpinion 27 on the shaft 20. Keyed to the shaft 20 is a collar 28 to whichare secured the fan blades or propellers 29 and a plate 30. On the plateare supported a series of superposed annular washing disks or plates 31(Figs. 1, 3 and 5) secured together and spaced apart by the rivets 32and spacing sleeves 33. The a'nnular washing plates 31 are progressivelysmaller in diameter from the top to the bottom so that they form aconical structure having a conical central opening which exposes aportion of the upper surface of each of said plates.

Keyed to the shaft 20 above the devices just described is a collar 34formed with diagonally and upwardly projecting arms 35 which are slottedto receive a plurality of annular washing plates 36 which are conical inform and are arranged one within and outer edges of the adjacent plates.

rangement of the plates into relatively thin streams .or layers whichpassing over The casing l'l'within casing 13 is preferably formed withthe outwardly projecting flange 4:1 below which are a number of an orpropeller blades e2 secured to a collar 43 keyed to the shaft 20.

The operation of the gas washing apparatus above described is asfollows: The water entering through the water inlet pipe 16 isdistributed by the nozzle and the distributing plate 19 and-is caused topass between the washing disks or plates 36 which revolve with the shaft20. From these plates the water passes through the distributing rings 38which distribute it in cylindrical sheets so that it falls on theexposed portion of the inner edges of the horizontally arranged washingplates 31. These plates also revolve and the centrifugal force carriesthe water and impurities from the gas to the outer circumferences of theplates, whence it falls into the casing 11 and is carried ofi throughthe water outlet pipe 1 1. The coni cal structure-permits the water andimpurities washed from the gas to fall into the casing without cominginto contact with the enters pipe 10 and is acted upon by the fan orpropeller 29 which forces it between the Washing plates 31 in thedirection generally opposite to the flow of the water. The ar- 31divides the gas come into contact with the films of water the washingplates in the opposite direction. The ammonia and other solubles in thegas are absorbed by the water and any particles of tar, or the like, insuspension are deposited on the plates and carmed ofi' with the water bythe centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the plates. The gasnext passes upwardly through the falling streams of water in the casing12 and then throu h-the distributing rings 38 and the oblique y arrangedwashingpla'tes 36. It is then acted upon by the fan or'propeller blades42 and is forced into the annular chamber formed between casings 13 and17 and out through the gas outlet pipe 15. It willbe seen that the gasis positively forced through the washing apparatus. For this reason thewashing operation is, to a certain extent at least, independent of thepressure of gas at the inlet and the degree of suction produced by theexhauster. The pressure produced by the fans is under control and can bevaried if circumstances require. As a result the washing operation maybe erformed uniformly and evenly. The gas 1s divided into thin streamsor layers of uniform width. This results in a very thorough washing. Therotation of the disks or washing plates produces a centrifugal forcewhich acts to positively carry away any particles in suspension in thegas. In the machine shown in the drawmgs the gas is subjected The gas 7to two centrifugal washing operations, towit, by means of the washingplates 31 and again by means of the washing plates 36. It will bereadily understood that, if found desirable, additional units might beintroduced between the gas inlet and outlet. The apparatus is verycompact. As shown, it need not be at its point of greatest diameter verymuch larger than the gas main. By dividing the gas and washing liquidinto thin streams or films and bringingthese streams or films intointimate relation with each other, in the manner described, acomparatively small quantity of water may be used which is desirable initself and also because the resultant liquid is concentrated to arelatively high degree with the by-products ammonia, tar, etc.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified construction of the upper washingunit. Keyed to the shaft 20 is a collar 44 on which are supported aseries of horizontally disposed annular washing plates 45, thearrangement being, in general, the same'as that of the plates 31. Thewateris preferably delivered from the circumferences of theseplates tothe distributing rings 37 as in the other construction. 4

I claim:

I 1. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed and spaced apart to provide relativelynarrow passages, of mechanism for causing the gas to pas between saidplates from the outer edge to the inner edge thereof and for causing thewashing liquid to pass over the surfaces of said plates against whichthe gas comes in contact in the opposite direction.

2. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofhorizontally arranged annular washing plates superposed and spacedapart, of mechanism for causing the gas to pass between said plates fromthe outer edge to the inner edge thereof and for causing the washingliquid to pass overbination with a series of annular washing platessuperposed and spaced apart to provide relatively narrow nism forcausing the gas to pass between said plates and for causing the washingliquid to pass over the same in the opposite direction. V

4. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed. and spaced apart and progressivelysmaller from top to bottom, of means for introducing the washing liquidbetween the plates through the central openings therein, and mechanismfor causing the gas to pass between the plates from the outercircumferences thereof to said central openlng. Y

passages, of mechabination with a series of annular washing platessuperposed and spaced apart and progressively smaller from top tobottom, of distributing means above said plates for dividing the washingliquid into annular streams and causing the Same to be delivered to theinner circumferences of said plates, and means for causing the gas topass be tween the plates from the outer circumferences thereof inwardly.

6. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular. washing plates superposed and spaced apart and progressivelysmaller from 'top to bottom, of a second series of annular washingplates progressively smaller from top to bottomand arranged above thecentral openings in the first series, power actuated mechanism forcausing the washing liquid to pass between the plates of said two seriessuccessively from the center outwardly, and power actuated mechanism forcausing the gas to pass between the 'platesof said series in theopposite direction.

7. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed and spaced apart and progres'sivelysm'aller from top to bottom, of a second series of annular washingplates progressively smaller from top to bottom and arranged above thecentral openings in the first series, and distributing rings betweenthetwo series of washing plates.

8. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed. and spaced apart and progressivelysmaller from top to bottom, of a second series of annular washing platesprogressively smaller from top to bottom and arranged above the centralopenings in the first series,-means for. introducting the washing liquidabove the second series of platesyand power actuated mechanism forpositively forcing the gas between said series of plates successively.

9. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofsuperposed washing plates having a central orifice and spaced apart toprovide relatively narrow passages, of power actuated mechanism forpositively forcing the gas to pass between said plates, and poweractuated mechanism for causing the washingliquid to pass over the platesfrom the edge of said central opening to the outer edge of said platesin a directlon opposite to the flow of the gas.

10. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed and spaced apart, of means forrotating the same, means for introducing the washing liquid to themiddle portionof the plates, and means for causing the gas to pass overthe plates from their outer circumferences inwardly.

11. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series of,annular washing plates superposed and spaced apart to provide relativelynarrow passages, of means for rotating the same, means for introducingthe washing liquid between said plates through the central openingstherein, and means for causing the gas to pass between the plates fromtheir circumferences toward the center.

12. In apparatus for' washing gas, the combination with a-series ofannular washing plates superposed and spaced apart, of means forrotating the same, means for introducing the washing liquid between saidplates through the central openings therein and a rotary fan below saidplates.

13. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed and spaced apart and progressivelysmaller from top to bottom, of means for rotating said plates, means forcausing the gas to pass between the plates from their outercircumferences inwardly, and distributing means for the washing liquidarranged above the central openings in said plates .14. In apparatus forwashing gas, the combination with a series of annular washing platessuperposed and spaced apart and progressively smaller from top tobottom, of means for rotating said plates, means for causing the gas topass between the plates from their outer circumferences inwardly, anddistributing means for the washing liquid arranged above the centralopenings in said plates consisting of a plurality of vertical rings onearranged within the other.

15. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular, hori- 'zontal washing plates superposed and spaced apart andprogressively smaller from top to bottom, of means for'rotating' saidplates, means for causing the gas to pass between the plates from theirouter circumferences inwardly, and distributing means for the washingliquid arranged above the central openings in said plates.

16, In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofhorizontal, annular washing plates superposed and spaced apart andprogressively smaller from top to bottom, of a' fan arranged below saidplates which directs the gas to the outer circumferences thereof, anddistributing means for the 1120' said plates from liquid outlet at thebottom,

said plates from their circumferences inwardly, and means for causingthe washing liquid to pass over said plates in the opposite direction.

18. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a series ofannular washing plates superposed and spaced apart and progressivelysmaller from top to bottom, of a second series of annular platesarranged above the central openings in the first serles, means forrotating both series of plates, means for causing the gas to passbetween their circumferences inwardly, means for causing the washingliquid to pass over said plates in the opposite direction, anddistributing rings arranged between said two series of plates.

19. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a gas main, ofcommunicating casings mounted thereon having a a gas outlet at the topand a water inlet at the top, a rotatably central shaft extendingthrough said casings, and a plurality of series of annular washingplates over which the gas passes, the plates of each series beingarranged one, below the other, spaced apart and progressively smallerfrom top to bottom; two of said series of said plates being fixed uponsaid shaft, the plates of one of the latter.

series being horizontal and those other inclined.

20. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a gas main, ofcommunicating casings mounted thereon having a liquid outlet at thebottom, a gas outlet at the top and a water inlet at the top, a centralshaft extending through said casings, a plurality of series of annularwashing plates, the plates of each series being arranged one below theother, spaced apart and progressively smaller from top to bottom, andfans on said shaft-adapted to force the gas'between said plates.

21. In apparatus for washing gas, the combination with a gas main, ofc0mmuni eating casings mounted thereon having a liquid outlet at'thebottom, a gas outlet at the top and a water inlet at the top, a centralshaft extending through said casings, a

of the plurality of series of annular washing plates, 2

the plates of each series being arranged one below the other, spacedapart and prbgres sively smaller from top to bottom, and liquiddistributing rings arranged between said series of plates. 1

22. In apparatus for washin combination with a gas main, 0 communcatin'g casings mounted thereon, the lower casing formed "with a liquidoutlet and the upper casing comprising aninner-chamber and an annularchamber surrounding the in-' annular chamber formed in the upper casingand out through the gas outlet pipe,

23. In apparatus for washing gas the combination with a source of supplyfor carrying gas to the apparatus, of a series of annular washing gas,the

plates spacedv apart,

power actuated means in addition to said "source of supply for causingthe gas to pass between the plates, and power actuated means for causingthe washing liquid to pass over the same in the opposite direction.

24:. A gas washing unit comprising a casing, a series of annular washinplates spaced apart, and power-actuate means within the casingfor'forcing gas between said plates and for forcing the .washing liquidover the same in the oppositedirection. 1

25. A gas washing unit comprising a casing, a series of annular platesspaced apart within the casing, means the washing liquid against theinner edges of said plates, means for causing said washing liquid totraverse the plates to their outer edges, upon which the plates aremounted, and means for forcing gas in the opposite direcfor dischargingcomprising a rotatable shaft- 7 tion to the passage of said liquid andbe-

